Haematological Indices of Broiler Chickens Administered Water Containing Medicinal Plant Leaf Methanol Extract

The discovery that the use of antibiotics in animal production is fueling the increasing problem of transmitting resistance bacteria from food animals to man has led to the search for an alternative to the use of antibiotics. Therefore, the response of broiler chickens fed various medicinal plants methanol extract as a replacement for antibiotics was investigated. The plant extracts encompass four available leaves; Gercinia kola (Bitter Kola), Alchornea cordifolia (Christmas bush), Pterocarpus santalinoides (Red scandal wood) and Chromolera Odorata (Hagony or Siam weed). A total of 180 unsexed Ross strain broiler chickens were randomly assigned to these dietary treatments which had 30 birds each. The treatments were replicated thrice with 10 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experiment which lasted for 56 days. Haematological indices of broiler chickens were evaluated. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in the mean values of all the hematological parameters measured across the treatment groups, except Packed cell volume and White blood cell. The result values obtained in this present study were within the standard range of PCV of normal birds with the reference range of 25.0 - 45.0%. However, the values obtained did not reveal any health problem. The findings of this study conclude that the medicinal plant methanol extracts have considerable potentials as component of broiler chicken diet. Alchornea cordifolia plant methanol extract can successfully be used to replace antibiotics at 1g/litre of drinking water for broiler production. Further research should be carried out on Alchornea cordifolia and other medicinal plants to examine their potentials and inhibitory characteristics

Brucellosis as an Emerging Threat in Developing Economies:Lessons from Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, has a large proportion of the world's poor livestock keepers, and is a hotspot for neglected zoonoses. A review of the 127 accessible publications on brucellosis in Nigeria reveals only scant and fragmented evidence on its spatial and temporal distribution in different epidemiological contexts. The few bacteriological studies conducted demonstrate the existence of Brucella abortus in cattle and sheep, but evidence for B. melitensis in small ruminants is dated and unclear. The bulk of the evidence consists of seroprevalence studies, but test standardization and validation are not always adequately described, and misinterpretations exist with regard to sensitivity and/or specificity and ability to identify the infecting Brucella species. Despite this, early studies suggest that although brucellosis was endemic in extensive nomadic systems, seroprevalence was low, and brucellosis was not perceived as a real burden; recent studies, however, may reflect a changing trend. Concerning human brucellosis, no studies have identified the Brucella species and most reports provide only serological evidence of contact with Brucella in the classical risk groups; some suggest brucellosis misdiagnoses as malaria or other febrile conditions. The investigation of a severe outbreak that occurred in the late 1970s describes the emergence of animal and human disease caused by the settling of previously nomadic populations during the Sahelian drought. There appears to be an increasing risk of re-emergence of brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of the co-existence of pastoralist movements and the increase of intensive management resulting from growing urbanization and food demand. Highly contagious zoonoses like brucellosis pose a threat with far-reaching social and political consequences

Gross pathological conditions in eviscerated organs of cattle in Nsukka Slaughter Slab, Enugu State: The economic and public health implications

Gross lesions in cattle viscera result in loss of meat quality and condemnation during inspection. However, data on gross pathological conditions in  cattle viscera are scarce in Nigeria. This study therefore was undertaken to determine the occurrence of gross lesions in cattle viscera during post mortem inspection at Ikpa Slaughter slab Nsukka and its economic and public health implications. Gross pathological lesions were found in all of  the 545 cattle carcasses examined from May to August 2017. Lesions of fasciolosis, liver tuberculosis, Liver cirrhosis, lung tuberculosis, pneumonic lung, congested lung, blood retention in the heart, pimply gut and paramphistomosis were observed in 1 (0.18%), 33 (6.06%), 11 (2.02%), 216 (39.63%), 38 (6.97%), 501 (91.93%), 200 (39.69%), 545 (100%) and 545 (100%) of the slaughtered cattle, respectively. The rejection and condemnation  of affected visceral organs loss estimate was N1,532,300.00. This unavoidable loss reduces profit and the absence of compensation policy encourages unwholesome practices by butchers and further exposes consumers to zoonotic disease infections. In the study, the eviscerated organs of cattle were unwholesome and unsafe due to some pathological and zoonotic conditions observed. There is need for government to make and  implement zoonotic and economic disease control policies in livestock Nigeria. Keywords: Cattle, Cost, Gross lesions, Occurrence, Public healt

Retrospective study of bovine and human tuberculosis in abattoirs and hospitals in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria

A study to generate epidemiological data on tuberculosis in cattle and humans in Enugu State, through a retrospective survey of abattoir and hospital records for a five-year period (2004 to 2008) was undertaken. A total of 748 and 2452 cases of tuberculosis were recorded in cattle and humans respectively. Statistical analysis showed that a variation in seasonal prevalence in both studied population, but the variation was not statistically significant. Sex-associated prevalence differed in both studied populations. Cows and male persons were both significantly (p<0.05) affected in cattle and humans, respectively. Patients within the age-group of 21 to 40 years had statistically significant (p<0.05) higher proportion of tuberculosis in humans. Overall mean prevalence of 1.4% and 12.9% was recorded for cattle and humans, respectively. This prompts intensification of control programmes against tuberculosis in both cattle and humans in the state

Roller compaction of crude plant material: Influence of process variables, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and co-milling

10.1081/PDT-120027425Pharmaceutical Development and Technology92135-144PDTE